Ya Gotta Eat! What’s in the CCAD Market?

I don’t know how to cook. Not at all. I could probably find a way to burn cereal if I was left to my own devices. While I’ve been at CCAD, I’ve tried a few things to get better at cooking, but my main accomplishments so far have been figuring out a coffee maker and successfully baking a cake from a store-bought mix. This doesn’t reflect the normal college experience; from what I gather, most of my classmates have figured things out by their senior year and actually enjoy cooking. So how have I been able to get away with being so bad at feeding myself?

The Market (i.e. CCAD’s dining hall).

I have had a meal plan at CCAD’s dining facility every year. Freshman year I had the Gold plan (roughly four meals a day), Sophomore year I had the Silver plan (roughly two meals a day), and the past two years I’ve had the Bronze plan (roughly one meal a day). Each meal is buffet style, which means you can swipe your card and sit and eat as much as you like, within the Market’s hours. When I was just starting out, away from homemade meals every day, the Gold plan was awesome. The Market has a lot of variety… but I somehow found myself eating french fries and pizza every day anyway.

Because I could.

Some of the other options are:

Living Lettuce:
My favorite thing the Market does is the Living Lettuce station. While there’s always the salad bar, this station offers lettuce still on the root and they chop it up in front of you. I don’t know where they grow it, but it must be close by, because this is the freshest lettuce I have ever had. You can get fresh chicken, avocado, strawberries, mozzarella, and more on your salad, and it is all so good. I always get the homemade maple apple dressing too.

The Deli and Salad Bars:
The deli has tons of different meats and cheeses, veggies (including my favorites, banana peppers), hummus, sauces (including original recipes like pesto mayo), and a huge selection of bread. You can get a sandwich wrap, pita and hummus (I get this a ton if I’m not super hungry but I want a protein), a sub, ciabatta or sourdough sandwich, and the special of the day. At the deli they also make homemade potato chips that are the best chips I have ever had, no lie. The Salad bar has all the fixings: different types of lettuce and spinach, veggies, chick peas, peas, fruit, etc. Between the deli and salad bars there are also always two soups to choose from, and the chicken noodle is delicious (and homemade).

A CCAD Dining worker making spicy Cuban sandwiches at the Action Station.

The Grill:
At the grill you can get burgers, veggie burgers, turkey burgers, hot dogs, chili dogs, grilled chicken breast, etc. Plus grilled cheese. The grill also has specials like sloppy joes, reuben sandwiches, and bratwurst. The grill is also where you can grab fries or onion rings.

Pizza:
During dinner time, you can always just grab a slice (or two) of pizza. During lunch time, you can make your own pizza on pita bread! You choose your cheese, sauce, and toppings, and they’ll cook it right in front of you. I usually put tons of garlic and onions on mine because the foods I like best tend to be the smelliest.

Action Station and Hot Foods:
There are always some ready-made dishes you can grab, which usually consist of a carb, a meat, a veggie, and a vegan dish. These will include chicken breasts, fish filets, pasta, casseroles, green beans, peas and carrots, etc. These are great if you want a balanced meal and you’re in a rush. The Action Station is super fun: there are always some interesting recipe being made. I’ve seen them make liquid nitrogen-dipped yogurt-covered strawberries, nachos in a Doritos bag, sushi, smoothies, salmon bruschetta, salsa and guacamole, orange chicken, and lots of other things.

My friend Brandan (class of 2015) making himself a sandwich at the deli.

The Market also always has cereal, coffee, hot chocolate, soft drinks, ice cream, and desserts like cookies and brownies. The only meats I eat are turkey, chicken, and fish, and I have never had a problem finding vegetarian options when I need them.

If you’re thinking about coming to CCAD, know that you won’t have to worry about food. If you have a meal plan, you will never have nothing to eat. And if you’re like me and eat at the dining hall through your senior year, you can use the Market to help you delay growing up just a little bit longer.

The Life at CCAD blog brings prospective students and their families into ongoing conversation with CCAD students, admissions counselors, and financial aid staff—including occasional visits from other members of the CCAD family.